Originally appeared at: http://www.dailynews.com/opinions/ci_16528034 Re “Voters extinguish hopes of marijuana legalization” (Nov. 3): Proposition 19’s failure at the polls demonstrates that although Californians have accepted the medicinal use of marijuana, they are not ready to accept recreational use. This makes it that much more important to facilitate research into the benefits and harms of marijuana in order to properly assess the utility of cannabis. At present, researchers have to contend with a monopoly held by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, whose mission is to study the harmful effects of illicit drugs. This disqualifies them as objective judges as to who to provide marijuana to for FDA-approved studies. – STEPHEN MORSEMAN Another reponse by Stephen Morseman in the LA Daily Times briefly discussing the monopoly held by the National Institute on Drug Abuse for medical marijuana research.
